“Honestly, it was my sister’s decision to run the Chicago Marathon because it was the only major marathon she could do as someone under 18. So we both signed up for it after doing the half-marathon in West Palm Beach. That had been a super fun experience. I signed up pretty late, so I was scrambling to find a way to get a spot.
But I ended up finding Mercy Home Heroes. I raised money for a good cause and for a spot in the marathon. I trained every week, and cross cross-country season helped a lot. Each weekend, I’d do a long run, but I never made it to twenty miles until a little bit before the actual marathon. For my twenty-mile run, I ran from my house in Tequesta to PGA and then to Juno Beach Cafe. Mrs. McGrath supported me a bunch. She brought me orange slices and electrolytes throughout the run. My parents also came out when I ran.
Then, before we knew it, it was race weekend. Zeta [Kujawa], Ziva [Garaj], and I had a nice pasta dinner the night before and a good night’s sleep. The race started later than I expected. I imagined it would start at sunrise, but it was at 8 AM. The race was electric. We never ran without people supporting us and cheering us. They were literally lined up on every sidewalk with signs and lots of energy. All our families came to support us, which made it extra special.
I hope someday I can do another marathon, and maybe even an Iron Man. It’s such a good taste of mental and physical strength, and all around an enjoyable feeling.”
